Natural gas has been used for hot water and heating for a very long time in the United States. When natural gas is mixed with air in the right proportions, the air of course containing oxygen necessary for burning, natural gas is a clean-burning, efficient, and safe way for hot water and heating purposes. Hot water and heat account for a large portion of the residential energy bill because, according to the U.S. Department of Energy statistics, 14% of the home energy usage is for heating water and 44% is for heating and air conditioning. Thus, the system, device, and method of the present invention have the tremendous potential to improve the safety of the water and heating systems of millions of households.
Numerous devices and systems exist to use the natural gas for hot water and heating. The devices that burn fuel to provide hot water or steam are commonly referred to as water heaters, hot water heaters, hot water tanks, boilers, steam boilers, heat exchangers, and other names known in the art. Some of these devices use electric power instead of fossil fuels, with the possibility of all or some of the electricity being provided by solar power or other renewable energy source. Indeed, a very large industry exists to manufacture, distribute, and service the boilers and steam boilers using natural gas.
The devices and systems using natural gas are constantly improved to increase their safety and efficiency. However, such improvements are usually directed as the devices and systems themselves (i.e., to prevent fires and gas explosions, which are dangerous to the life and safety of individuals using these devices, and are also dangerous to the property. However, no device or method exists to improve the safety of the boilers and steam boilers in terms of water leakage, dripping, and water and steam explosions, either one of which can flood a basement, causing massive damage to the basement and anything in it, further causing secondary damage from mold, short circuits, fires and other issued caused by flooding.
Indeed, natural gas boilers and steam boilers typically have a pressure and/or temperature sensor or sensors. The sensors are sometimes adjustable and sometimes preprogrammed to a certain limit of safe pressure and/or temperature. If the safe pressure and/or temperature is exceeded, a limit switch will typically end the operation of the boiler or heating system by shutting off the gas valve and/or the burner.
The limit stitches are used on both residential and commercial boiler and heating systems. The limit switches are essentially water temperature and/or pressure controllers, which shut off the gas valve or otherwise turn off the operation of a water or steam boiler, used for hot water or heat. A limit switch is typically an electromechanical device that consists of an actuator mechanically linked to a set of contacts. When an object comes into contact with the actuator, the device operates the contacts to make or break an electrical connection. The boiler temperature control usually has an adjustable temperature sensing for limit control to address different applications. The limit switch can be made to open on temperature rise and/or open or close on temperature fall. For example, a Single Acting Boiler Temperature Control will incorporate a high limit function that acts like an on/off switch. The high limit setting is the maximum temperature the boiler can attain. When the high limit point is reached, the switch turns off the burner. There are numerous other types of limit switches, having double limit controls, differential controls, and the like, but the system, device and method of the present invention works with all types of limit switches equally well, without regard to the actual limiting method used.
What is needed is a system, device and method that can be used in residential and commercial boiler and heating systems, improving the safety of these system by shutting them down if the pressure relief valve is leaking and notifying the owner of the problem.
The present invention solves this problem by providing a system, device and method for disconnecting the gas valve or the burner and notifying the owner of the leak, caused by excessive pressure or temperature of the heating system or boiler.